The Decauville
light railway system was based on pre-fabricated units of narrow-gauge track
and points using permanently fixed steel sleepers. Being portable
and reconfigurable, this railway system was well suited to building and
construction projects, mines and quarries, sugar cane and other agricultural
uses. Military applications including underground bunkers were also notable
users. To augment their light railway system, Decauville supplied small
locomotives of standard designs, together with standard rollingstock.

From
this innovative concept came this little Decauville locomotive. It was
planned for exhibition at the
Brisbane Exposition of 1897 (presumably as promotion for the Decauville
railway system) but was instead sent to Mulgrave Mill, Gordonvale. Although
the first locomotive at Mulgrave Mill, for some reason it was No.7 on their
roster, also carrying the name ‘Lord Lamington’. It remained in service at
Mulgrave Mill until the railway system there was dieselised in 1955.

In 1956, No.7 was
sold to Invicta Mill at Giru, where it served a further 8 years until
retirement in 1964. The little loco was subsequently plinthed in a local
park, but deterioration seems to have become an issue and in 1980 it was
donated to the Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Society (ANGRMS) by the
Thuringowa Shire Council. No.7 arrived at the ANGRMS Woodford site in 1981,
where it joined their growing collection of stored cane haulage locomotives
rescued from various display locations. The ANGRMS website includes pages dedicated
to individual exhibits, such as the page for
No. 7.

For
an impression of how this locomotive would look if restored, refer to the
page for sister loco Decauville b/n
246 of 1897 (No.7 ‘Frenchy’ of Qunaba Mill, Bundaberg), which is
beautifully restored and operational in the United Kingdom.

As
an interesting aside, the UK firm North Bay Railway Engineering Services Ltd
offer to new-build 2’ gauge Decauville locomotives; ostensibly for wealthy
enthusiasts who can accommodate a substantial garden railway! The North Bay
Railway Engineering Services website
includes a good selection of photographs showing the first new-build
Decauville locomotive under construction.Presumably this company could provide parts for No.7 Lord Lamington,
if ever required.

References

a

Light
Railway Research Society of Australia Inc. Web site
(as at 17 November 2017):